Ebola needs swift response to prevent catastrophe - DR Congo governor

Ebola needs swift response to prevent catastrophe - DR Congo governor39 minutes agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on GoogleHafsa KhalilReutersPeople in the affected areas are wearing face masks and avoiding contact with others to prevent the spread of EbolaThe military governor of the Democratic Republic of Congo's Ituri province, the epicentre of the current Ebola outbreak, has likened the struggle to contain the spread of the virus to a "war" for which they are lacking resources to fight."People in affected areas are not receiving enough food," Johnny Luboya Nkashama told French broadcaster RFI, adding that "other diseases" and "overcrowding" are also issues.He called for a "swift response", including strengthening the capacity of staff to prevent Ituri "from descending into catastrophe".Officials say there are more than 900 suspected cases of Ebola, and 220 suspected deaths, since the outbreak was declared on 15 May.The World Health Organization (WHO) said the disease may be spreading faster than originally thought and has declared a public health emergency of international concern.On Monday, WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who is due to travel to DR Congo, has said the Ebola outbreak is outpacing urgent efforts to scale up a response adding that responders were "playing catch-up". Ebola has also been reported in DR Congo's North and South Kivu provinces, as well as in neighbouring Uganda, where there have been seven confirmed cases.Elaborating on what his province needs, Kashama explained "qualified personnel" should be deployed as soon as possible and "secure treatment centres" established.Angry relatives trying to claim the bodies of loved ones who had reportedly died of Ebola have targeted two treatment centres."Our existing resources were dedicated to the war, and this second war that is now upon us demands even more," he said on RFI.What...